HARRISBURG - Some lawmakers have proposed hiking Pennsylvania's dog license fee more than 50 percent to shore up the agency that inspects commercial kennels and monitors dangerous dogs.

The state faces “the very real prospect of a deficit” in the primary source of funding for the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, according to Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. The bureau has increased license sales in recent years and cut expenses.

Dog license fees have not changed in 20 years. Bills in the House and Senate would update the cost of a dog license at the rate of inflation:

The annual license fee for a spayed or neutered dog would increase from $6.50 to $10.

The cost of an annual license for an unaltered dog would go from $8.50 to $13.

A lifetime license fee would increase from $31.50 to $47.

“I do think that the price of a dog license in Pennsylvania is very, very low,” said Nancy Gardner, president of the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter. “This money goes to Dog Law Enforcement, and I’d like to see it as a restricted account. Dog wardens monitor kennel licenses and puppy mill activity, and handle dogs running at large. While none of this money comes to CVAS, it does benefit the dogs in the state.”

Gardner was among the supporters of a state law in 2008 that cracked down on the operators of puppy mills.

"We did not address the long-term financial viability of the funds that support that work,” Redding said on Friday during a visit to the Animal Rescue League of Berks County. “If we don't have the financial resources to support that work, we risk undermining all of the improvements we've made since 2008.”

Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Chambersburg, supported the Dog Law legislation of 2008. He said he will “closely monitor” the results of a House Agriculture Committee’s review of the recently introduced bill.

Sen. Richard Alloway II, R-Chambersburg, was not in office in 2008. He has championed Libre’s Law, legislation that would make it easier to prosecute animal abusers. Alloway did not respond to requests for comment.

Gov. Wolf on Tuesday released a statement urging the legislature to send Libre's Law to his desk: “I am proud to be a long-time supporter of Libre’s Law and eager to sign the bipartisan, comprehensive House Bill 1238 into law. I applaud the sponsors and advocates who have fought for too long to improve Pennsylvania’s protections for animals. This bill increases penalties for animal cruelty and neglect. Pennsylvania is only one of three states that does not have a felony statute for severe animal abuse. We are long overdue to join the rest of the country in having higher standards of care for our pets and other animals. I thank Libre, the Pennsylvania SPCA, Sen. Alloway, Rep. Stephens, and all those in the legislature and animal advocacy community for their work getting this bill towards final passage.”

State politicians balanced the state budget in 2009 by transferring $4 million from the Dog Law account to the general fund. The move eroded the resources available to support the Dog Law bureau, according to Redding.

“When Gov. Rendell was in office, most, if not all, of the money in the Dog Law account was moved to other accounts,” Gardner said.

The state got $6.3 million in 2015 from the sale of nearly a million dog licenses. The sale of licenses has increased 14 percent since 2012, and added more than $1 million a year to the Dog Law account, Redding said. More than 85 percent of revenues in the account come from the sale of dog licenses.

Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter is looking for a home for Lucy, a lively one-year-old boxer mix.(Photo: Courtesy)

More dog licenses were sold in 2015 in Franklin County (21,620) than in more populous Cumberland or Dauphin counties. License sales in Franklin County generated $130,292. The county also ranked second to Northumberland in prosecution of Dog Law violations with 283.

According to Schwank, some counties have cut costs by turning over their local dog programs to the state. The additional responsibility, rising personnel costs and stagnant revenue poses a deficit for the Dog Law account.

The increased revenue from raising license fees also would allow:

A single online platform for buying dog licenses. The system would improve customer service and record keeping.

Increased revenue to county treasurers who administer license sales.

Resumption of a grant program for shelters that take in strays from dog wardens.

The CVAS most recently received a grant from the state in September 2011 for $6,400, according to Jennifer Vanderau, communications director for the local shelter.

Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement conducts more than 5,000 kennel inspections a year, issues about 3,000 citations and helps reunite more than 5,000 dogs with their owners. About 520 dangerous dogs are registered or pending registration in Pennsylvania.

A recent report from insurer State Farm ranks Pennsylvania fourth nationally for the number of dog bite insurance claims that homeowners file.

Washington County in Maryland charges $5 for a one-year dog license. The state requires a rabies vaccination. The county requires the dog tag.